More charges for man accused of posing as cop, raping escort

Related news

A convicted cop impersonator who was arrested last week for posing as an officer and raping an escort at a Las Vegas Strip hotel has been handed more charges after a second victim emerged in the alleged scheme.

Mark Picozzi, 48, had been behind bars since Thursday on four counts of sexual assault and single counts of impersonating a police officer, oppression under color of office and providing false information to a police officer. Metro Police on Monday tacked on five additional charges that include sexual assault, first-degree kidnapping and impersonating an officer.

Metro opened an investigation into Picozzi after the first victim was picked up on an outstanding warrant, and she mentioned to detectives that she had been sexually assaulted, according to an arrest report. The woman told investigators she worked for an escort service and was called to meet Picozzi at the Cosmopolitan.

Picozzi, of Las Vegas, reportedly told the woman that a friend had wired him money and he was going to pick it up. But just as he was about to leave the room, he turned to the escort, identified himself as an officer and forced her into sex, according to the report.

The suspect allegedly provided a different name when confronted by detectives. He had an active warrant out of New York on a count of robbery, police said. He also has been convicted of robbery, kidnapping and impersonating an officer in New Jersey.

When detectives searched Picozzi’s car, they found a note with the names of several women and numbers on it, clothes that matched the description provided by the escort of what her alleged attacker was wearing, duct tape, scissors, a knife and gloves, according to the report.

Other potential victims are urged to call Metro’s sexual assault investigators at (702) 828-3421. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or visit crimestoppersofnv.com.